


My True Love Gave To Me (Two Turtle Doves)

by MayQueen517



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Couch Sex, Hand Jobs, Local Ornithologists Are Baffled By Turtle Dove Population Boom In Malta, M/M, The Old Guard Gift Exchange 2020, but mostly this is an excuse for domestic slice of life fic, european turtle doves mate in pairs and are particularly endangered in Malta, it gave me a mild plot, joe loves him so much, nicky does so much bird research and is the best bird dad, resubmitting because I swear I know what I'm doing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:08:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28331376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayQueen517/pseuds/MayQueen517
Summary: He looks to it and then over to the small birdbath he had returned from town with. The stone is worn, like it came out of someone's yard and Joe spares a brief, amusing thought of Nicky stealing from someone's Nonna.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Comments: 34
Kudos: 202
Collections: The Old Guard Gift Exchange 2020





	My True Love Gave To Me (Two Turtle Doves)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nasa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nasa/gifts).



> Hi, nasa!! I saw the prompt for domestic, slice of life fic and I RAN WITH IT. I was joking about Nicky being a bird dad (who researches the best type of bird seed money can buy) and this spawned from it. So please imagine Nicky with, like, 15 bird feeders and Opinions About Commercial Birdseed. 
> 
> I had a lot of fun writing this and I hope you love it!! Happy holidays!
> 
> (Title, of course, from The Twelve Days of Christmas because I'm hilarious)

There's a bird on the windowsill. It's the first thing Joe notices as he pries his eyes open. It peers in at him, tilting its head, cooing softly as Joe notices the small pile of seeds there. Stretching, Joe laughs to himself.

The brown feathers shine in the late morning sun, spots of black and patterning catching the light enough to make Joe think about moving for his sketchbook.

"Good morning to you too, little friend," Joe says, rolling onto his back, watching the bird disregard him totally. It coos again, shifting around the pile, picking out the choicest pieces as another joins it. "Nicky, my love, we have guests," Joe calls out, laughing.

"They're a bonded pair of turtle doves, according to Google," Nicky says, stepping into the room as though he were summoned. He holds a dish of water, placing it carefully on the desk beside the window. Joe yawns, shifting over and reaching for Nicky.

"Come back to bed, Mr. Google," Joe says, grinning when Nicky huffs, curling around him anyways. Nicky shifts, pulling Joe onto his chest, pressing his face to Joe's curls. Joe sighs happily, listening to the birds - turtle doves, Joe reminds himself - cooing to each other and the clack of their beaks on the seeds.

Nicky skims his fingers along Joe's back, the back and forth motion hypnotic as Joe drowses with him. Nicky huffs every now in then and Joe pries his eyes open blearily, watching the turtle doves fly away, pile of seeds gone.

"I went to the market earlier," Nicky says, pressing a soft kiss to Joe's forehead. Joe closes his eyes and sighs happily, stretching over Nicky more thoroughly. Joe blankets him, feeling their hearts beating together.

"And what did you find?" Joe asks, tilting his head up for a kiss as he opens his eyes. Nicky gazes down at him, smiling softly as he obliges.

"Mm, I found that jam you like. With the figs and honey," Nicky says as Joe makes a happy sound of agreement, listening to the crash of the waves in the distance from the open window. "I also picked up some fruit for breakfast. Oh, and some bread."

"And birdseed, I see," Joe says, grinning as Nicky shrugs without shame.

"Well, we do have guests, Joe," Nicky teases. Joe laughs, leaning up to kiss him properly.

===

The yard at the Malta house is wide, full of beds of growing things, though they've gone wild in Joe and Nicky's absence. Joe sketches little hints of things - the curve of Nicky's lips, shape of his broad shoulders - and listens to the ocean as his soundtrack.

"Joe," Nicky calls out from the back half of the yard, shading his eyes with his hand, "come help me?"

"With what, habibi?" Joe asks, closing his sketchbook as he walks over to Nicky, who holds a cone with string wound around it. He looks to it and then over to the small birdbath he had returned from town with. The stone is worn, like it came out of someone's yard and Joe spares a brief, amusing thought of Nicky stealing from someone's Nonna.

"I was thinking," Nicky says, casually, stepping backwards in the grass. His feet are bare and Joe loves Nicky like this. He watches Nicky choose his words and his steps, pausing for a moment. He rubs a hand through his hair and Joe thinks about dropping the string to go over and kiss him.

Nicky clears his throat, looking up at Joe finally, "I was thinking we could build some dovecotes. They're starting to nest and I'm worried that old traditions will see them die out."

Joe watches his face twist, knowing how much he hates the old tradition of the spring hunts. Joe thinks about it, thinks about his Aunt and her aviary, the tame doves who would sit on her shoulder while she fed them. He smiles to himself, unable to remember her face clearly but remembering her laugh.

"It has been a long time since I built a dovecote, but I suppose we could find some plans," Joe says, watching Nicky's eyes light up.

===

The setting sun shines on the newly built dovecotes, the staggered shape of them, providing homes for the nesting pairs. It's been just over a week and so far, they remain empty. Joe sketches at the window, humming quietly with the radio as Nicky lays on the couch, dozing lightly.

Joe sketches the familiar slope of his nose, smiling to himself. Joe uses his thumb to smudge the shadow of the jaw that he itches to trace with his lips. Nicky sighs softly, shifting to roll over and peer over at Joe sleepily.

"What if they don't nest here?" he asks softly, looking past Joe to the dovecotes. Joe follows his gaze, seeing the empty pegs and the feeders now dotted around the garden.

"Habibi, it's only been a week. Maybe they're not ready to nest yet," Joe says as Nicky sits up. His hair is sticking up on one side as Joe laughs softly. Nicky scrubs a hand through his hair, grimacing as he tries to flatten one side to no avail.

"Don't worry," Joe says, pushing himself out of his chair to walk over and settle into Nicky's lap, "nicely tousled, as alway."

Nicky laughs, that little snort laugh that Joe has to taste, kissing him softly. Nicky sighs softly, sinking into the couch and pulling Joe closer. Joe shifts, settling each of his legs on either side of Nicky's lap. Chest to chest, Joe sinks into the kiss, resting their foreheads together.

"They will nest here, I promise," Joe says, wrapping his arms around Nicky's shoulders, sharing breath. Nicky rubs his hands up and down Joe's back, soothing and warm as they sigh together. The evening slides to night as they settle together, sharing soft, gentle kisses.

Nicky presses idle kisses to Joe's chin and neck, breathing in deeply and Joe tilts his head to the side, inviting. Joe shifts, resting his forehead on Nicky's shoulder, enjoying the feeling of Nicky holding him close.

"You put their favorite seed blend in the feeders, and you set up the nest materials like the internet said to. They'll nest here," Joe says, pulling his head up to rest their foreheads together again. Nicky tilts his head up, brushing their lips softly.

"Thank you for indulging me," Nicky says. Joe cups his face gently, pressing kisses to his forehead, his nose, and finally his lips, lingering. Joe rubs their noses together and smiles softly.

"Nicolò," Joe says, watching Nicky's eyes soften, "I love you. I care about the things you care about because I love you. This isn't an indulgence, anymore than you buying the charcoal I like is."

Joe kisses him then, deep and languid, taking his time to taste and feel the man he's found himself devoted to for almost a millennia. Nicky sighs, relaxing into the couch as he kisses back, hands slipping under Joe's loose shirt. His broad hands, warm and calloused, slide along his back, bringing a shiver with them.

Nicky pulls away to skim Joe's shirt off of him, smiling softly. He leans in, pressing his lips to Joe's collarbone, arms linked securely around Joe's lower back.

"Bed?" Joe asks as Nicky pulls away, nipping at Joe's lips, soothing them quickly.

"Don't want to move," Nicky says as Joe huffs softly, pulling Nicky's t-shirt off of him. Their chests press together, warm and welcome as Joe goes back to kissing Nicky. He loses himself to the warmth of his love, rolling their hips together in an easy rhythm.

They kiss furiously, tangling with each other and rocking their hips together with increasing urgency. Nicky pulls back, breathing hard as Joe watches the beard burn flush and fade on his chin and lips and Joe has to replace it. He kisses him hard, moaning into the kiss as Nicky works their cocks out of their sweats.

Nicky fists them together in one of his broad hands, Joe's hips stuttering sharply as he pulls back to groan. Nicky murmurs something that could be encouragement or Joe's name as he strokes them firmly. Joe's heart hammers against his chest, lost in the rhythm that Nicky sets for them.

They rock together, whispers and gasps filling the room as Nicky drags wet, hot kisses along Joe's neck. Joe pushes his hands into Nicky's hair, pulling Nicky into a sloppy kiss, a smear of their lips as he chases that tension pooling in his gut. It ripples along his spine, the creeping feeling of something building, like holding your breath for as long as you can just because you can.

Joe loses himself in the way that Nicky feels, watching their hands bring them closer and closer to that spiraling tension simmering below his skin. This hunger he has for Nicky, the heat under his skin that drives them closer and closer to release, never seems to abate in all their years together. Joe grazes his teeth along Nicky's jawline, tasting salt and thinking of all their years together.

Nicky moans, desperate and pleading, as Joe slides his thumb over the head of Nicky's cock, wetness smearing there as he jerks him faster. They rush together, kissing each other and sharing breath messily.

There's a hitch to Nicky's breathing, a little stutter and Joe groans when he feels Nicky coming over their hands and dicks. One, two more thrusts and Joe follows him, letting Nicky hold him close as shudders wrack his body.

The front room grows quiet as they come down, catching their breath as racing hearts slow. Joe wipes them down with his discarded shirt, laughing softly when Nicky grumbles at the movement. Tossing the shirt aside, Joe slumps into Nicky, sighing happily into Nicky's neck as Nicky holds him.

Joe hums softly, nuzzling Nicky's neck as Nicky slides his hands over Joe's back, soothing and warm.

"Bed?" Nicky asks as Joe presses his face further into Nicky's neck. He kisses his pulse point there gently, feeling the thrum of Nicky's heartbeat.

"Don't want to move," Joe says, grinning as Nicky laughs. Nicky winds his arms around Joe, hugging him close; Joe lifts his head, pressing a soft kiss to Nicky's lips.

"We will need to get up at some point, you know," Nicky says, reasonably and Joe has to kiss him again, smiling into it.

"Mmm, of course. But for now, I want you to hold me," Joe says, draping his arms around Nicky's shoulders, rubbing their noses together gently. He's treated to the wrinkles at Nicky's eyes, their crinkle as Nicky smiles a welcome sight after so many years together.

"Always, hayati," Nicky says. He shifts back, letting Joe slump against him fully, arms holding him close. Joe sighs deeply, content in Nicky's arms as he has been for so many years before.

===

Joe wakes slowly before he wanders to the yard and patio when the sun is already high, late morning. Sketchbook in hand, he pads over to where Nicky is painstakingly weeding one of the small beds.

"I didn't have our guests at the window this morning," Joe says, pulling one of the chairs close as Nicky smiles up at him. His face is damp with sweat, hair pushed back from where it's gotten long.

"Look at the dovecotes," Nicky says softly, twisting to look. Joe looks up and grins at the flurry of movement, nesting pairs of turtle doves moving in. Joe reaches over, threading his fingers through Nicky's sweat-damp hair, pushing it away from his face where it falls.

"I told you, my love," Joe says, grinning. Nicky snorts gently, rolling his eyes with mischief shining in them.

"Nobody likes a know-it-all," Nicky says, haughty. Joe laughs, leaning down as Nicky leans up, pressing their lips together.

"You like me just fine," Joe teases, settling back in his chair, warm Malta sun shining on them both as Nicky cants his eyes up.

"You'll do," Nicky says, hiding his grin, making Joe laugh. Nicky goes back to his weeding as Joe opens his sketchbook, flipping to a new page.

The scratch of his pencil and the cooing of the turtle doves is the sound of peace, just under Nicky's gentle humming and Joe sighs, happy.


End file.
